Establishment

   The first church building for Emmaus community was erected in 1849, upon a parcel of land known as the "Emmaus school house lot" on State Route 749, in southern Bedford County, Virginia. It was a wood frame structure with a seating capacity of 150 and had a balcony where slaves could be seated and hear the word of God preached.

   At the time Emmaus Church was established, only a few Methodist churches were in existence in Bedford County and all were on one circuit or charge called "Bedford Circuit", in the Lynchburg District of the Virginia Methodist Conference. In 1879, the "Middle Bedford Circuit" was formed with eight churches and Emmaus was made a part of that circuit.

   On October 15, 1879, C. P. Moorman and Emma, his wife, granted to Thomas W. Nance, N. Newsom, J. O. Cundiff, T. W. Whorley and J. E. Huddleston, Trustees of Emmaus Church, a parcel of land to hold in trust for the benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being the same lot upon which Emmaus Church stood at that time, and being a corner of the school house lot, known as Emmaus School, located on the south side of Bedford County. (Deed Book 52, page 166, Bedford County Clerk's Office, Bedford, Virginia)

   In 1881, the wood frame church building was completely renovated, and it remained the place of worship until 1959.

   In 1907 Emmaus was removed from Middle Bedford Circuit, and Emmaus, Union, Bethlehem, Diamond Hill, Stewartsville, and Parrish Chapel Methodist Churches formed the "West Bedford Charge". In 1921 Union Church was transferred to another charge, leaving five churches on the charge. In 1929 the West Bedford Charge was changed to the "Moneta Charge" and remained so until 1952 when the Moneta Charge was divided into two charges. Emmaus, Bethlehem, and Diamond Hill Churches then formed the Moneta Charge, Lynchburg District, and Parrish Chapel and Mays Memorial (Stewartsville) Churches formed the Mountain View Charge, Roanoke District.

Organization

   In 1927 while Rev. Z. W. Scales was pastor, an Epworth League was formed at Emmaus with a membership of 39 young people. Charles H. Robertson, Jr. was president. On Sunday, Nov. 13, 1955, a Youth Fellowship was organized at Emmaus under the leadership of Rev. B. W. Johnson. In the 1970s this organization was known as the United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) and continued to provide leadership, recreational activities, and spiritual guidance to the young people of the church up until the early 2000s. On August 31, 2012, the group was reestablished at Emmaus as the United Methodist Youth (UMY). Today the group’s members consist of both youth and young adults and the name was changed on July 16, 2023, to the Emmaus United Methodist Youth and Young Adults (UMY). They are a very active part of the church, organizing many activities including the annual Bible School, Eggstravaganza, Halloween Fun Night, Thanksgiving Potluck, and Christmas Night.

   During 1952 a Methodist Men's Club, formed from Emmaus, Bethlehem, Diamond Hill, Parish Chapel, and Mays Memorial Churches, was organized. The purpose of the club was to uplift the church of Jesus Christ and provide spiritual enrichment to the members. The main project of the club is helping the sick and disabled by way of providing free gratis the use of equipment such as hospital beds, walkers, wheelchairs and crutches. When there is no longer a need for the equipment in a home, it is returned to one of the churches and stored until such a time as another need arises. Each year this club helps young people from the five churches to attend a church camp during the summer. This club was active through the early 2000s.

   On November 16, 1952, while Rev. William A. Moon, Jr. was pastor, a Women's Society of Christian Service (WSCS) was organized, with proximately 14 charter members. The purpose of this organization was to support the mission fields both at home and abroad and to carry on the work of the church in the surrounding community, helping the needy, ministering to the sick, visiting the aged and shut-ins, and studying the word of God. Up until 2022 they were known as the United Methodist Women (UMW). In 2023 the organizations name was changed to the United Women in Faith (UWIF). They are still very active within the church and community.

   In October 2023, a mission’s team was created to help tackle the needs of the community.

   On April 4, 1958, the County School Board of Bedford County resolved that the school property at Emmaus was no longer needed for public school purposes and should be sold at public auction. On May 10, 1958, said property was sold at public auction and the Trustees of Emmaus Methodist Church, the highest bidder, became the purchasers thereof.

   On June 2, 1958, the School Board executed a deed conveying the property to John R. Meade, Henry Willis and Linwood Whorley, Trustees of Emmaus Methodist Church, with said premises to be used, kept, and maintained as a place of divine worship of the Methodist ministry. (Deed Book 275, p. 87)

A New Building

   In the late 1940's a building fund for a new church was initiated under the pastorship of Rev. William A. Moon, Jr., and during 1958 a fund drive was conducted to raise funds and receive pledges for a new church.

   In 1959 a new brick building for Emmaus Methodist Church was erected near the site of the old frame building. The new church had a seating capacity of 225 and contained 9 church school rooms. The last meeting was held in the old church building on July 15, 1959, and the building was sold at auction on July 18, 1959. The first Sunday School services in the new building were held on July 19, 1959, with 66 present, and an official opening of the church was held on August 30, 1959, Homecoming Day. At that time the membership of the church totaled 133.

   In 1968, a new parsonage for the Moneta Charge was built in the Emmaus community, a short distance from the church, and the pastor, Rev. A. Dave Snead, and his family, moved into the new parsonage on May 17, 1968. An open house and a dedication service was held at the parsonage on June 2, 1974, the debt having been fully satisfied.

   In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the Central Jurisdiction (black) Methodist Church and The Methodist Church (white) merged into The United Methodist Church. Thereafter, the word "United" was added to the church names. Thus, Emmaus Methodist Church became Emmaus United Methodist Church.

   In 1973, the debt on the new church building was satisfied, and a note-burning, dedication service was held at the church on June 2, 1974.

Additional land has been acquired as follows:

   August 1, 1975, a parcel from J. E. and Ava S. Campbell

   February 4, 1982, a parcel from C. G. and Janie Chewning

   December 23, 1985, a ½ acre cemetery lot from the heirs of H. L. and Maud E. Corum

   December 11, 1995, a parcel from J. Henry Powers

   Church property totals 3.688 acres.

   At the Virginia Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in June 1977, Bethlehem Church was declared a station or independent church, and Rev. Jacob Mast was appointed pastor. The Moneta Charge was changed to Diamond Hill- Emmaus Charge, being a two-point circuit. Rev. Eugene Condrey was appointed pastor of the new charge.

   Equity in the parsonage was paid to Bethlehem Church by Diamond Hill and Emmaus Churches, based upon an appraisal agreed to by all three, and a new deed was drawn accordingly.

   In the 1980s-90s the church building was air conditioned, new carpeting was installed, and